Welcome to the Ruth Etting Web Site
Rising to fame in the twenties and early thirties, Ruth
Etting was renowned for her great beauty, her gorgeous voice and her tragic
life. She starred on Broadway, made movies in Hollywood, married a mobster,
had numerous hit-records, fell in love and was known as America's Sweetheart
of Song.
This site is maintained by
Cheryl Spelts, the granddaughter of one of Ruth Etting's cousins. The submission of additional information and documentation
on her life and career is encouraged and greatly appreciated!
Love Me Or Leave Me by Ruth Etting, is a GRAMMY Hall Of Fame 2005
Inductee!
On February 8, 2005 the Recording Academy announced the newest additions
to its GRAMMY Hall Of Fame, and Ruth Etting's
"Love Me Or Leave Me", Columbia
(1928), was one of 20 recordings added to a timeless list that now includes
659 titles. The Hall Of Fame serves as a celebration and reminder of the
triumphs and achievements of the recording arts. Selections are drawn from
all major categories of music, acknowledging the diversity of musical expression
for which The Recording Academy has become renowned.
Alfred Cheney Johnston
Alfred Cheney Johnston was the official photographer of the Zeigfeld
Follies. His portraits of the Zeigfeld Girls are considered fine art today,
and his original vintage 14x18 prints of Ruth Etting sell for hundreds of
dollars. Five of his Ruth Etting images are collected here.
news
Variety announced in September of 2004 that a remake of the Ruth Etting
Story is in production. Several actresses have expressed interest, including
Jennifer Lopez, Angelina Jolie, and Kate Winslet. And both Al Pacino and
Robert De Niro have been attached at different times to play her husband,
Moe Snyder.
songs
Ruth Etting had over 60 hit recordings and recorded hundreds of other
songs. Among her best in the Jazz Age are
"Button Up Your Overcoat"
"Mean To Me" and in the depression,
"Ten Cents A Dance". Her versions of
"Shine On Harvest Moon",
"Let Me Call You Sweetheart" and
"You Made Me Love You"
became her signature songs.
broadway
Irving Berlin suggested Ruth Etting for the Ziegfeld Follies and she
was hired after Ziegfeld checked her ankles, not her voice. She appeared
in the Follies of 1927.
In 1929 she starred with Eddie Cantor in
Whoopee! In 1930 she made 135 appearances
in Simple Simon with Ed Wynn. In 1931 she appeared in the very last
Follies,
shortly before Ziegfeld's death.
movies
Ruth Etting made a string of movie shorts and three full-length features.
Her big break came in "Roman Scandals" with Eddie Cantor and Lucille Ball
in a bit part. Then came "Gift of Gab" and "Hips Hips Hooray".
photo album
Our Ruth Etting photo album has over 50 images, including publicity
photos, movie and theatre posters, sheet music, and magazine features.
history
Ruth Etting made her first record in 1926 and her last in 1937. She
starred on Broadway, made movies in Hollywood, married a mobster, had number-one-hit-records,
fell in love and was known as America's Sweetheart of Song. Get the facts
on her life!
music
Ruth Etting's music is available on CD! There are currently
eight full-length CDs available, plus several compilations that contain
at least one of her songs. Real Audio files allow you
to listen to her music right now!
|
Ruth Etting in the Broadway show, "Whoopee!",
1929.
|
"There's an old movie called Love Me or Leave Me that I've been thinking of
remaking. Ruth Etting and Marty the Gimp from Chicago. It's a great
story."
Jennifer Lopez, 2003
"There's something I love, a period piece. There's a
problem of who they want to cast. [It's a remake of Love Me or Leave Me,
the Doris Day-Jimmy Cagney hit '50s musical drama about 1920s singer Ruth
Etting and her mentor/lover, a crippled gangster named Moe Snyder]. A lot
of discussions."
Angelina Jolie, 2001
From the Guestbook
"if any female artist has influenced me, it would be Ruth
Etting...her style, her feelings and her courage are a model for anyone. Thank
you for the opportunity to "sing" her praises."
John O'Halloran, Nova Scotia Canada
|
|
